1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting devices for truck toppers and more particularly pertains to a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers for allowing a mounted truck topper to be raised with a stable hinged link to a truck bed side wall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mounting devices for truck toppers is known in the prior art. More specifically, mounting devices for truck toppers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art mounting devices for truck toppers include U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,336; U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,777; U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,243; U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,061 and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 336,235.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers. The inventive device includes a hinge positioned adjacent to each side stake pocket hole of the side wall support rail of a truck side wall on the truck bed of a truck. Each hinge has a topper plate coupled to the topper side mounting edge of a topper mounted on a truck bed, and a side wall plate mounted on the support rail top face and pivotally coupled to the topper plate. A securing plate having a securing plate front edge and a securing plate rear edge, is positioned adjacent to each of the side stake holes with each securing plate front edge and securing plate rear edge mounted to the support rail bottom face. The securing plate is secured to the side wall plate of the hinge by a threaded bolt fastening means. For enhancing the stability of the topper on the truck, a front spacer tab, a rear spacer tab, and a side spacer tab are extended from the securing plate top face and disposed within each of the side stake holes.
In these respects, the Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing a mounted truck topper to be raised with a stable hinged link to a truck bed side wall.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of mounting devices for truck toppers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers construction wherein the same can be utilized for allowing a mounted truck topper to be raised with a stable hinged link to a truck bed side wall.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the mounting devices for truck toppers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mounting devices for truck toppers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a hinge positioned adjacent to each side stake pocket hole of the side wall support rail of a truck side wall on the truck bed of a truck. Each hinge has as a topper plate coupled to the topper side mounting edge of a topper mounted, and a side wall plate mounted on the support rail top face and pivotally coupled to the topper plate. A securing plate having a securing plate front edge and a securing plate rear edge, is positioned adjacent to each of the side stake holes with each securing plate front edge and securing plate rear edge mounted to the support rail bottom face. The securing plate is secured to the side wall plate of the hinge by a threaded bolt fastening means. For enhancing the stability of the topper on the truck, a front spacer tab, a rear spacer tab, and a side spacer tab are extended from the securing plate top face and disposed within each of the side stake holes.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the mounting devices for truck toppers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mounting devices for truck toppers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers for allowing a mounted truck topper to be raised with a stable hinged link to a truck bed side wall.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers which includes a hinge positioned adjacent to each side stake pocket hole of the side wall support rail of a truck side wall on the truck bed of a truck. Each hinge has a topper plate coupled to the topper side mounting edge of a topper mounted, and a side wall plate mounted on the support rail top face and pivotally coupled to the topper plate. A securing plate having a securing plate front edge and a securing plate rear edge, is positioned adjacent to each of the side stake holes with each securing plate front edge and securing plate rear edge mounted to the support rail bottom face. The securing plate is secured to the side wall plate of the hinge by a threaded bolt fastening means. For enhancing the stability of the topper on the truck, a front spacer tab, a rear spacer tab, and a side spacer tab are extended from the securing plate top face and disposed within each of the side stake holes.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers that allows easy loading and unloading of the truck bed from the side of the truck rather than from the tail gate.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new Hinged Connector Assembly for Truck Toppers that prevents the topper from slipping when the topper is in the pivoted open position.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.